Later

Habib 

>From: "Yusupha C. Jow" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: George W. Sadat >Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 13:07:06 EDT > >Bakary: >I think we fundamentally agree on the basics; i.e., terrorism is wrong, >incursions are wrong, and so are the suicide bombing carried out by children >as young 17. My concern has to do more with the factuality of your piece. I >understand your bias but regardless, the information you post here should be >accurate and not full of mistruths for it does a disservice to your cause. >It is also important to note that this your approach is much more >constructive than your earlier stance of labeling some of us with alternative >views as hypocrites and then shying away from your very own statements. > >Anyway, lets deal with some of your distortions; > >You wrote: >"The on-going conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis has its >origins in terrorism. The conflict is sustained through terrorism practiced >by the Israeli army and it is in part resisted through terrorism against >Israeli civilians. Therefore terrorism is both the cause and effect in the >conflict; it is also the symptom BUT IT CAN NEVER BE THE SOLUTION." > >This is an extremely inaccurate assertion on your part. Let's take a look at >the definition of terrorism. Merriam-Webster defines this as "the systematic >use of terror especially as a means of coercion. " > >Given this definition, and als due to the historically documented fact that >even in the early stages of this conflict (ie 40s, 50s, and 70s), Palestinian >guerrillas/terrorists frequently staged attacks which often targeted innocent >Israeli citizens, it is very difficult for your above assertion to hold it's >own. The Israeli special forces would in turn, retaliate against these acts >by staging reprisal acts on guerilla groups based in Southern Lebanon and >other Arab states. > >Furthermore, it is also very important to note that the PLO was created in >1964, in effect as an amalgamation of these aforementioned terrorist/guerilla >groups and labor unions with the expressed purpose of this organization being >to destroy Israel and set up a Palestinian State from the Mediterranean to >Jordan. It was also the PLO which ordered and set up the logistics for the >Munich massacre of the early 70s when innocent Israeli athletes were >massacred in their dorms in Munich. The cycle of violence continues to this >day but fact is you convenient ignored two important fundamentals; > >1. That what you called terrorist activities were in fact started by the >Palestinians. It is therefore more accurate to state that this violence is >sustained through terroristic acts against innocent Israelis started by >fringe groups and continued through the PLO and more fringe groups today. > >2. It is also important to note that since Arafat assumed leadership of the >then terrorist PLO group, he is also in principle like Sharon, a terrorist. > >Let me proceed to say that despite my above assertions, I recognize the >atrocities committed by the Israeli army in Jenin & other places both past >and present. Of course, one must also understand that had the suicide >bombings not taken place, this Jenin incursion would never have occurred. >Regardless, like the UN investigator on CNN stated, there needs to be an >investigation of the incidents in Jenin and other places. What I don't like >is your attempt to cast aspersions on George Bush by comparing his actions to >those of Yahya Jammeh. This IMO is a very disingenuous comparison to be >expected only from his supporters or sympathizers. This dishonest analogy >has no place in this debate. > >As I stated earlier in this thread, the USA made a moral commitment to >protect Israel back in it's formative years. This is the main reason why >this country has supported them and not due to some secret conspiracy to >subdue the Palestinians. Also, given the backdrop of what happened here on >Sept 11, it is unreasonable to expect the strategy of using violence to >coerce used by Palestinians to get any support or sympathy from this end. >Sept 11 opened our eyes and showed us that we must wipe out terrorism from >wherever it grows. So yes, while the incidents in Jenin and other places are >tragic and wrong, this country supports acts to uproot this evil people from >wherever they plot to do wrong. Nevertheless, Bush because of the suffering >experienced by Palestinians as collateral these IMO justified incursions, has >ordered Sharon to withdraw from the occupied areas. I have not heard the >"man of peace statement" by Bush you referred too but it is public record >that his administration has rebuked the behavior of both sides and duly so. > >IMO, oppression which Palestinians suffer today is partly of their own making >and one cannot look at Israel and USA as the only cause. It is unreasonable >to expect the Israelis to accept some half baked Saudi peace plan in the face >of ongoing violence. I also believe that the UN and USA will be the ultimate >power brokers in this conflict. This said, the Palestinian fringe groups and >the PLO are not helping their cause by terrorist activities. After all, >documents linking Arafat's regime to terrorism have been unearthed of late. >Like I said from the very beginning, two wrongs do not make a right. > > >-Yus > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~